The Ghost of Mr Rand
by littlepieces
Summary: Accompanying Grandma to the funeral of an old neighbour, John hopes to bury a dark secret he's carried since his youth. But what will he do when Virgil decides that the secret needs to see the full light of day? Chapter 6 added…
1. Chap 1 The Barn

**Old-school 60s TV show.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, etc.**

**Rated M for adult themes (in later chapters).**

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Chapter 1 The Barn

The two boys stood in the barn facing Mr Rand.

Virgil turned to his brother. John was impassive, a blond lock of hair falling over one eye. That his brother, usually so self-conscious, didn't brush the hair aside but stood like a statue made the question Virgil was about to ask die on his lips.

Mr Rand held his rifle across his chest looking down on it like he was nursing a favourite pet.

'I think we have to get on home now, Mr Rand,' John said flatly.

The man looked at him as if seeing him for the first time.

'No,' he said simply. He shifted the gun so it pointed dead at John's head.

Virgil stepped back in surprise but John didn't flinch. Mr Rand smiled crookedly, swaying slightly.

'No, boy. Stay here,' the man slurred.

Virgil's heart pounded and the blood thrummed in his ears. Mr Rand took several staggering steps towards John. Virgil felt suddenly invisible and totally powerless. He glanced towards the barn door and wondered if he should run for it.

'Naw, Johnnie. You're gonna stay here. With me.'

Mr Rand was no longer pointing the rifle at John. The gun barrel was dipped towards the ground. The farmer bent down to stare into John's face. His left hand moved to the boy's head and brushed the blond lock from his eyes.

John let out a strangled yell and hit the hand away. Virgil, moving before he could think, lunged at the man's gun hand and clutched on as hard as he could with both hands. The farmer swept his arm wildly to shake the small boy off as John flailed his fists in his face. Even though he was drunk, the two teen boys were no match for the strapping farmer.

As the three struggled, Mr Ran lost his grip on the rifle and it fell to the ground.

'Leave my brother alone, leave him alone,' John yelled, his voice becoming hysterical, the backpack strapped firmly on his shoulders hampering his swings.

Virgil dove for the rifle and then took several quick steps back pointing it at the two figures, unsure what to do next.

'You little bastard!' the man bellowed as he raised a fist to strike John.

A shot rang out and Virgil was thrown back into the barn wall like he'd been kicked by a horse. The rifle flew out of his hands.

A heavy silence drenched the barn. Virgil looked up stunned. John had turned to him, panic on his face. Behind him Mr Rand lay on the ground, clutching his head with bloody hands.

'You little bastard. I'm gonna kill you!' the man groaned as he tried to gain his feet.

John took two strides, grabbed Virgil's arm and pulled him towards the door.

'Come on!'

They ran across an unploughed field, jumped the far fence and sped across another field, the tall grass whipping their faces. Finally breathless and unable to run any more, Virgil collapsed on the ground his heart burning in his chest.

'Do you think I killed him Johnnie?' Virgil asked between gasps.

John was standing, bent over, trying to get his breath back as well.

'Johnnie?' Virgil pleaded.

'No. He's fine.'

'Are you sure?' Virgil asked, not convinced.

'Yes. You only grazed him.'

'It looked bad. The blood…'

'It wasn't that much. You only nicked him.' John straightened up and looked back at the barn off in the distance, its roof rising above the grass stalks that hid them. 'You're lucky you didn't hit me instead.'

Virgil's eyes widened in horror at the thought.

'Let's go,' John said. 'It'll be dark soon and it looks like it's gonna rain. Grandma will be mad if we're late for dinner.'

Virgil stood to follow him and then his faced paled.

'John. I left my bag behind.'

John's backpack was still strapped to his back.

'Forget it,' he said.

'No, Johnnie,' said Virgil in real fear. 'It's got my keys in it. What if Mr Rand finds it and uses it…'

'He won't,' said John firmly but his face was worried. He looked at his little brother for a moment then took off his backpack and gave it to Virgil.

'Hold this. I'll go back and get yours.'

'No, John! Mr Rand…'

'It'll be fine. I'll make sure I'm not seen and I'll get it when he leaves the barn. He'll have to go back inside his house to patch up his head. Stay here and wait for me.'

John ignored Virgil's calls as he jogged back the way they had come.

Within minutes the sky opened up and the rain poured down, heavy in the darkening twilight.

And Virgil waited.


	2. Chap 2 The News

**This is a new Chapter 2 - I put up the wrong file the first time. The former Chapter 2 is now Chapter 3. Sorry for the confusion.**

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Chapter 2 The News

'…Mrs Rand…'

Gordon was making so much noise as he wrestled with Alan for the last scoop of potato salad that Virgil missed what Grandma said next. She was sitting at the other end of the dining-room table talking to her son, Jeff, who was frowning at a piece of paper he held in his left hand while he held aloft a baby beet on the tines of his fork in his right.

Scott, who sat to Virgil's left at the head of the table opposite their father, had started to say something to him.

'What was that Grandma?' Virgil called out across the table cutting Scott off mid-sentence.

'Jeff, Jeff! Are you listening to me!' Grandma Tracy said, not hearing Virgil's question.

Jeff grunted, still staring at the piece of paper.

'Jeff Tracy, I though you had a rule - _no work at the table_!' said his mother.

'Yes, but this is important,' he replied without looking at her.

'Well, what I have to say is important to.'

'Yes, mother, of course. But do you think it could wait…'

'No it can't wait. You're always so busy, and I know you're worried about that terrible bank collapse…'

Alan, who had finally relinquished the potato to Gordon and fallen into a sulk, heard the last few words as they rang out clearly across the table.

'Bank collapse?' he queried, looking over at Virgil and Scott.

Gordon rolled his eyes. 'Not that type of collapse… an economic one.' He banged the potato victoriously on his plate.

Alan's mouth formed an 'O' as he realised his mistake. If there was one thing the younger Tracy boy found more boring than TinTin's latest fashion talk it was economics. He left the financial concerns to his father and older brothers, who were more than happy with that arrangement.

'Mother. It is not just any bank collapse,' said Jeff, tearing his eyes away from the papers. 'We have exposure. And I have got to sort it out.' He grumbled almost to himself, 'Why people can't make sure a bank can weather tough times, I don't know.'

'Well you should put all your money into it,' said his mother.

Jeff started to protest that he hadn't put all his money into it but his mother wasn't about to stop speaking.

'As I was saying, Jeff, while you _weren't_ listening…Mrs Rand's funeral is in three days and I need to organise getting there…'

'Mrs Rand?' asked Scott.

'Yes. Honestly, don't you boys pay attention! Mrs Rand. She used to live next door to us in Kansas.'

Alan turned questioningly to Gordon who shrugged back.

'Oh, yes,' said Scott. 'I remember. They had those big ol' dogs. And that funny looking son. What was his name?'

He looked at Virgil.

'Jimmy,' Virgil said. 'And he wasn't their son, but their nephew.'

'What'd she die of?' asked Alan.

'Alan!' muttered TinTin from Virgil's right.

'What?' Alan mouthed silently across the table to TinTin.

'Heart attack, they think,' said Grandma.

The table fell silent.

'Was she old?' said Alan finally, confused at the hush.

Gordon snorted and TinTin widened her eyes in exasperation.

'Yes, but not as old as me!' said Grandma, put out and amused all at the same time, which was how she almost always was with Alan.

Gordon sniggered, then Alan, still puzzled, sniggered back, and after a few moments the two were giggling like schoolboys in the back of a classroom. TinTin tried to choke back a laugh herself.

'Anyway, Jeff, as I was saying,' Grandma continued, pulling at Jeff's arm again as he moved the baby beet toward his mouth, while his eyes stole back to the paper in his hand, 'I'm going to the funeral and I would like someone to come with me.'

'I'm going to New York tomorrow,' Jeff said bluntly.

Grandma blinked at him. 'What's that got to do with anything?'

'I can't take you to Kansas.'

'I'm not asking you to,' she snapped. 'One of the boys can.'

'Oh, me, me!' said Alan, a split second before Gordon did.

'But Mother! We can't afford to be one crewman down, especially if I'm not here.'

'Delay your trip to New York.'

'I can't do that. This won't wait. If that bank goes under tomorrow or the next day, then all hell will break loose. I could lose billions…'

A deep hush fell over them all.

'Will we go broke?' whispered Alan in awe to his brothers.

'Yes,' said Gordon in a low voice. 'We'll have to sell your car, piece by piece, just to eat.'

'Shut up,' said Alan, frowning.

Scott turned to his brothers with a scowl that said _shut-up, this is important_.

'Well, I'm going to this funeral,' their Grandma continued. 'I knew this woman for near on forty years and I'm going to pay my respects.'

'Mother, you can go, of course you can. But I can drop you off in New York…'

'I am not travelling all the way from New York, Jeff Tracy!'

'I'll take you Grandma,' said Virgil quietly.

'No, I will,' said Alan, 'I said it first!'

Virgil leaned over the salt shaker and glared at his little brother. 'It is a funeral, Alan, not a holiday.'

Alan looked at Virgil, surprised, then at Scott, then back at Virgil.

'Yeah,' whispered Gordon in Alan's ear, 'with lots of _old_ people.'

'O' Alan formed with his lips.

'I don't think we can afford…,' Jeff began to say.

'Jeff there are more important things than business in this world. Going to funerals is one of them!'

'Ok, ok,' Jeff acquiesced. He'd learned a long time ago he could never win an argument with his mother when she was determined. 'I suppose we can do with a reduced crew for a _couple_ of days.'

Grandma Tracy nodded curtly, the argument won.


	3. Chap 3 The Call

Chapter 3: The Call

'Hey, Grandma!' said John perkily. It always paid to sound extra perky when she made her daily call to Thunderbird 5, otherwise she'd start to worry about him. Not that she didn't worry about all her grandsons at the best of times – she said it was practically her job - but if he sounded happy she would worry a little less and go focus on one of his brothers instead.

'John, have you slept well? You looked tired.'

There…it started.

'Fine, Grandma. I'm fine. What's up?'

'Just the usual. Your father thinks the business is going to get sucked into a blackhole because of that Challenger bank palaver, but other than that we are all doing fine.'

'Yeah, I saw something on the wire about that bank being in trouble. I wondered how much exposure we had…'

'A lot, but don't let your father know I told you so. He's trying to pretend that Tracy Industries is as safe as houses so the world won't make a run on the stocks.'

'I promise I will _not_ say anything about business to father.' They both knew that Jeff and John never spoke money or business. John might have a better head for figures than Scott or Virgil but he was more than happy to leave the workings of the financial world to others.

'Other than that, I'm going to Kansas tomorrow,' said Grandma.

'Oh?' said John, intrigued. It was always a pleasant surprise to hear about their old home state.

'Yes. Mrs Rand died…'

'Mrs Rand!' John's happy interest turned to shock.

The tone of his voice made Grandma squint inquisitively into the video link.

'Yes, Mrs Rand. I'm glad you remember her. Your brothers didn't seem to really remember, except for Virgil…'

'I remember her.' John paused, lost for a moment with a memory. Then he realised Grandma was looking at him through the screen expectantly. 'I remember Jimmy too - the cousin.'

'Nephew,' she corrected him.

'Er, nephew.'

'That's right. You were quite friendly with Jimmy…'

'No, not really. I think Virgil knew him better. Funny kid.'

'Really? My memory isn't what it used to be. Anyhow, Virgil is coming with me…'

'Virgil!'

'Yes,' she said in a querying tone. 'He knew Jimmy, so I thought it would be good if one of you boys came.'

'Oh,' said John flatly.

'What's wrong, John?'

'Nothing,' said John shrugging. 'It's just I never get to go to any of these things.' Even to his own ears he sounded like a petulant twelve year old.

'But John, you can't, being up there…'

'I know,' he sighed with resignation. 'Pity. I always liked Mrs Rand. She was kind to us kids. Especially after mom died. Used to make us homemade lemonade…'

He stared off screen for a moment, hoping it looked dramatic and perhaps a little pathetic.

'Hmm,' he heard her say as if she'd made an important decision that nothing would divert her from. 'I'll talk to your father. The funeral isn't until late Friday morning, and we wouldn't need to arrive until a few hours before. Jeff can send Alan up to replace you – he owes you that time you covered for him when he went to that damn car rally.'

John smiled inwardly, but was careful to keep his face glum. He was glad that little sacrifice hadn't been forgotten.

'Thanks Grandma. It would mean a lot to me. I wouldn't feel the same if I didn't go. After all, these things are important, you know, funerals, weddings, things like that. You can't miss the important things, otherwise you miss out on life.'

He hoped that came out less corny than it sounded to him. Grandma simply nodded in return, a look of determination on her face.

'Leave it to me, John. I'm a very persuasive woman. I'll talk to you soon.'

After John signed off he looked across Thunderbird 5's deck to the star field framed in the large windows. A slow sigh escaped him. He didn't see the stars but instead the wheat fields of Kansas from long ago, and a lone barn standing starkly against the horizon.

The pit of his stomach tensed.


	4. Chap 4 The Plan

Chapter 4 The Plan

'What!' said Jeff.

'Now, Jeff, this is important. And John hardly ever gets to go to anything. And I think he knew the Rand family. _And_ he's been in space too long this time. I want him to go!'

Grandma had just finished her call to John when Jeff had come to the lounge to organise the papers he was going to take with him to New York. He wasn't taking her change of plans with much good grace.

'But mother! It would mean sending up Thunderbird 3 just to get him, and while he's not there I'd have to replace him and I'd not only be down a communications expert but_ whoever_ replaces him _and_ I won't be here…'

His mother held up a hand. 'You didn't have a problem when you agreed Virgil could attend the funeral with me,' she said.

'Actually, I did. I just agreed to that because you were pestering me…'

'Pestering! That's a fine way to talk about your mother…'

Jeff sighed. 'Mother, be reasonable.'

'I am being reasonable. John will be disappointed. Do you want your son sitting up in outer space, _alone_ and _upset_.'

'No, I don't. But the inconvenience!'

'Well, the funny thing is that death is like that, Jeff Tracy. Inconvenient to the very end.'

'Oh, all right, mother,' Jeff said, angry but defeated. 'But it will mean a delay.'

'I don't mind. As long as we get there a few hours before the funeral, so I can freshen up a bit, I'll be happy.'

'And you'll have to come straight back! No dilly-dallying or shopping.'

'I'm going to a funeral, Jeff, not a shopping trip! But I _will_ spend time talking to my friends. You remember them, don't you Jeff – _friends_?'

'Fine,' Jeff growled.

At that moment Scott and Virgil entered, their work overalls slightly greasy.

'Finished?' asked Jeff already picking up papers from his desk. Before they could answer he continued. 'Good. I've got work to do before I leave in the morning. Scott I need you to look at some reports Brains left for me. I won't have time to look at them before I go.'

'Sure thing, Father,' said Scott.

'Jeff…' Grandma said.

'Hmmm,' he said absentmindedly, then saw Grandma indicate to Virgil. 'Oh, yes. Virgil. The trip to Kansas is off, I'm afraid.'

'What?' said Virgil, stricken.

'Yes,' his father said. 'John's going instead.'

'John!' Scott and Virgil chimed together.

'Yes,' said Jeff holding up his hand to stop any more argument. 'And that's final!'

'Maybe both can go…' Grandma said sweetly.

'No!' Jeff practically exploded. 'Line in the sand mother! No, only one.'

He held up one finger indicating he meant it.

'Ok, ok, Jeff. Calm down before you have a coronary.'

'I don't want to hear one more word about it,' he said, and to punctuate the point he got up and marched out of the room, papers still in hand.

Once he was out of earshot, Virgil turned to his grandmother.

'Why is John going Grandma?'

'Virgil, I know you were kind enough to offer to go, but John has his heart set on it and he knew the Rands better than any of you.'

'I knew the Rands as well,' said Virgil quietly.

'I promised John,' said Grandma.

'Before or after me?' asked Virgil, not able to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

'Hey, Virg,' Scott said in a warning tone.

'Sorry, Grandma, but I wanted to go.'

'I'm sorry, Virgil. I wanted you both to go. And you should both go. But John's been up on that hunk of junk for a double rotation because he filled in for Alan when he went to that damn car rally, and he also covered for you last time you caught the flu. And how many times has he covered for Gordon? It's about time this family put themselves out for him for once.' She scowled at her grandsons.

Scott, shifting uncomfortably, muttered, 'That's true.'

'Yes, that _is_ true,' his Grandmother returned. 'I know you boys like to forget when John backfills for you, but I don't forget.'

'Suppose he doesn't either,' mumbled Virgil.

'Virgil!' she said astonished. It wasn't like Virgil to be so ungenerous to one of his brothers.

'Sorry, Grandma, but I wanted to go.' His petulance mirrored John's mood earlier and this left her wondering.

She reached over and patted his arm like he was a child. 'I know. But your father is in a state about this bank collapse and I don't want to aggravate him anymore than he is. He's got too much on his plate on a normal day, and all this isn't helping.'

'How bad is it Grandma?' Scott asked.

'It has the potential to be really bad, although your father has back up plans if Tracy Industries is hit too hard. Things he can sell.'

'Sell?'

'Oh, don't worry. He won't be selling any of you! Just odds and bobs – technology and the like.'

Scott and Virgil looked at each other in alarm.

'Anyway, I have to call John and tell him the good…the news,' Grandma said.

The boys took the hint and left her to do this in private.


	5. Chap 5 The Discussion

Chapter 5 The Discussion

'…but he really wants to go,' said Scott, getting heated.

'So do I!' John retorted, crossing his arms.

'But John, look…' Scott sighed.

'No, you _look_ Scott,' John said, anger turning his usually placid face red. 'I don't get to do anything while I'm stuck up here. You all get to have little jaunts all around the place…'

'I'd hardly call going to a funeral a jaunt…'

'Exactly! It's important and I'm going.'

Scott's plan to convince John to let Virgil accompany Grandma to the funeral wasn't going well. He had waited until Grandma had gone to bed and his father had left his desk to go talk to Brains in the lab before risking the call. He'd had to wake John up who wasn't happy about what Scott was proposing.

'And we don't get to go on little jaunts, John.'

'Yes, you do. It seems like your always going off somewhere…'

'I never go anywhere! Look at me now. I'm going to be stuck here to cover everything while Dad's gone…'

'And loving it…'

'What!'

'Oh, come on. It's not like your going to let anyone else control base while Dad's gone.'

'Hey!' Scott punctuated every word with a stab of his finger on his father's desk. 'Anytime you want to come down here and take over is fine with me.'

'Great,' said John sarcastically. 'I'll come down right now and you can come up here and cover for me, and I'll be in charge.'

'Fine,' Scott glared, setting his jaw.

'Do you mean that?' said John, ominously.

Scott sighed in frustration, his bluff called.

'No,' he admitted.

'Suppose you think I'm not competent…' John pushed the advantage.

'No,' said Scott firmly, 'I mean, yes! Of course you are competent. It's just that…damn it!'

Both brothers fumed.

'Ok, ok,' Scott said at last, rubbing his temples. 'But at least let the family know Virgil was thinking of them.'

'Of course I will.'

'Right.' Scott didn't miss John's look of smug triumph.

'You can sign off now,' said John with fake pleasantness, but before Scott could say anything further, John jabbed his link button himself and the screen blanked to show the usual portrait of John's pleasant looking countenance.

Scott dropped his head in defeat and grunted. Then he heard some motion from the other end of the room. Virgil had come in.

'You heard?' Scott asked.

Virgil nodded, his face blank, eyes strangely cold.

'I can talk to Dad first thing in the morning, Virg. A good night's sleep might put him in a better mood.'

'He won't sleep tonight and you know it. He's got a thousand reports to read and news bulletins to follow.'

'I'll ask him anyway. May be you can both go.'

'It won't work. International Rescue can't afford to lose us both, plus Dad.'

'Hopefully nothing will happen…'

'There are fires brewing in Indonesia and a hurricane in the Gulf, and that Volcano in South America…'

'Its only three days, tops…'

'Scott. It won't work. If I was in charge I wouldn't want to lose two crew.'

'TinTin can cover…'

They looked at each other. Not that either thought TinTin wasn't more than capable but some things just needed more experience.

'Ok,' said Scott finally. He stopped for a moment. 'But Virg. Tell me, why are you both so intent on going?'

Virgil crossed his arms and looked up at John's portrait on the wall. He shrugged.

'We knew Jimmy. And, you know, it seems important.'

'_Seems_ important?'

Virgil sighed.

'Grandma's right, Scott. Just sometimes you've got to stop at the important moments and be there.'

Scott looked at him unconvinced.

'Well, it must be important to John because you know how he hates crowded events.'

'Yes, must be important to John,' said Virgil more to himself as he looked back at his brother's portrait on the wall.

'Sorry, bro' said Scott with a sigh.

'Thanks for trying,' Virgil said as he turned and left.

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**More soon. I promise!**


	6. Chap 6 The Memories

Sorry for the delay. Life has gotten in the way. And also I've had this problem with my account/password. It takes me hours to get in - anyone else with this problem?

Anyway - on with the story...

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Chapter 6 The Memories

'I don't know why they both are so intent on going, Grandma. I hardly remember the Rands.' Scott accepted the juice and cookie his Grandmother handed him. It was just after dawn the day and they were in the kitchen alone, Scott taking a short break from his father's instructions after an urgent call had come in from Tracy Industries.

'They both played with Jimmy, if I'm remembering right,' Grandma said. 'Not that I liked the idea. There was something odd about that boy.'

'I don't really remember him.'

'He was a strange one. Never left their farm. Was Mr Rand's nephew, I think. His mother worked in the army and the father died some time earlier. So, they offered to bring him up.'

Scott munched on the cookie. 'I don't know why John is so adamant to go. He's angry about something. It's not like him.'

'Leave him alone!' said Grandma so fiercely Scott was taken aback.

'I'm not saying he shouldn't go over Virgil, I'm just saying I don't know why either of them is so intent on going.'

Grandma frowned. 'I remember something…oh, my darn memory…what was it that happened back then? You know, when Mr Rand died.'

Scott shrugged.

'Of course you do! We all went to Mr Rand's funeral. No, wait a minute. Virgil was sick. Did you stay home with him?'

Scott perked up.

'That's right, Grandma. I remember. I didn't want to go anyway. Dad was going to call us from the mission he was on. We'd all been looking forward to it. I said I'd stay home with Virg, because he was sick. In case the rest of you didn't get home in time, I'd stay back and take the call.'

'Yes, yes. That's right. John didn't want to go either but I made him. Told him he had to since Jimmy was his friend.'

'I thought Jimmy was Virgil's friend?'

'Both were! That's right. John nearly fainted at one point, just as the coffin was being lowered. He wouldn't step inside the Rand's home when we got there for the wake. He went off and sat in the barn the whole afternoon. I sent Gordon out there to get him when we were to leave, and Gordon told me later that John was in there crying.'

'Funny you would say that, Grandma,' Scott said, a memory playing across his face, 'I went to see check on Virgil and found him crying in bed. I nearly panicked because I thought he must be getting sicker, but he threw Willie at me and told me to get out.'

'Willie?'

'His stuffed beagle,' Scott said.

Grandma nodded in memory.

'Maybe they were a lot closer to Jimmy than I remember.'

'Or…' Scott said quietly.

Grandma looked at him quizzically.

'…it brought fresh memories up for them,' Scott answered.

Grandma squeezed his shoulder. 'Yes, that's probably right. Your mother wasn't long gone herself. And I'm sure they both liked Mr Rand. I think he had an old telescope that John used to admire. Perhaps it was more traumatic than I thought.' She sighed. 'Young ones shouldn't have to see so much death so young.'

'How did Mr Rand die?' Scott asked.

'He killed himself,' Grandma said. 'Well, so they think, though there was always a doubt. Some things didn't add up. But those state police weren't much use for murder mysteries.'

'Murder?'

'Well, no. It was just a rumour. Some doubts about there being other people around that afternoon. There were questions never answered properly. Sad business all round.'

'They moved didn't they? Mrs Rand and Jimmy?'

'Mr Rand's sister was in the army and he and Maureen…Mrs Rand…looked after him for a couple of years. After Mr Rand's death, Jimmy's mother resigned from the army after her term and took Jimmy back to Louisiana. Maureen went away to South Africa to visit her sister, but her sister's marriage fell apart soon after she arrived, so they both came back home to live in that old house. Her sister died about ten years ago. Maureen hardly left the property after that. Neighbours I kept in touch with said she was going a little soft in the head.'

Scott was silent, and truth be told he hadn't quite followed all the comings and goings of his grandmother's explanation.

'What will happen to the house now?' he finally asked.

'Jimmy will decide. He inherited it since the Rand's had no children of their own, and his mother was lost some time back.'

Scott fell quiet.

'Yes, it is all rather gloomy,' Grandma said, squeezing his shoulder again. 'Here, have another cookie. It'll make you feel better.'

Neither of them noticed an eavesdropper just outside the dining room doorway. As Virgil turned away, his face was troubled.


End file.
